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‘Policing the pols’

By Bill Adair
December 3, 2007

Check out Emily Yahr’s

analysis of PolitiFact

in the new issue of the American Journalism Review. Also, take a look at Clark Hoyt’s column

Fact and Fiction on the Campaign Trail

in Sunday’s New York Times, which urges the paper to come up with something similar to our Truth-O-
Meter. He says the NYT, “with its own rich Web offerings on the presidential campaign, would do well to showcase a similar fact-checking feature. Maybe the YouTube community could come up with the title, the music video and a truthfulness scale.”

[Hey NYT editors! Save your money and just put our Truth-O-Meter

widget

on your page!]

Browse the Truth-O-Meter

More by Bill Adair
John Kitzhaber
stated on July 18, 2014 a campaign debate:
Oregon "is the most trade-dependent state in the nation"
False
Donald Rumsfeld
stated on February 17, 2013 an op-ed in the "Washington Post":
Says wrestling was a favorite sport of Abraham Lincoln.
True
Rick Perry
stated on January 8, 2012 a Republican debate in New Hampshire.:
Says President Barack Obama "is a socialist."
Pants on Fire!
C.W. Bill Young
stated on February 20, 2010 a speech to Pinellas County Republicans.:
The Democratic health care plan is a "government takeover of our health programs."
Pants on Fire!
Barack Obama
stated on January 27, 2010 his State of the Union address:
The "pay-as-you-go law ... was a big reason why we had record surpluses in the 1990s."
Half-True
Dick Cheney
stated on December 30, 2009 a statement to Politico.:
President Obama "doesn't ... want to admit we're at war."
Pants on Fire!
Barack Obama
stated on September 20, 2009 an interview on Meet the Press:
"Mathematically, the White Sox can still get in the playoffs."
True

‘Policing the pols’





Donald Trump
stated on May 4, 2026 a White House event:








Donald Trump
stated on April 23, 2026 remarks at the White House:







Chris Wright
stated on April 19, 2026 an interview on CNN's "State of the Union":